Musar על ישעיהו 4:5

In addition to this common factor which links every Israelite with one another to form part of the whole, each Israelite is a distinct individual as is evident from a statement by our sages (Bamidbar Rabbah 21,22, based on Isaiah 4,5): "any righteous person is burned or singed by the fire G–d has provided as part of the canopy He grants to every righteous person." This teaches that though every Israelite has his share in the World to Come, everyone is assigned a place of his own. Concerning this state of affairs, Moses said in 32,12: "The Lord guided him separately, unaccompanied by any alien power." The word ינחנו in this verse is a singular, (guided him, not guided us) to stress that every Israelite is an individual unit, personality. When Moses continued that: "He was not accompanied by another power," this refers to the שרים and מזלות assigned to guide the fates of the Gentiles. None of those forces exercise the slightest control over the Jewish people. The two commandments in these last three portions directly reflect these thoughts. The commandment of Hakhel, demanding that all of Israel – women and childen included – assemble in the courtyard of the Holy Temple to listen to a reading of the Torah, is rooted in the fact that all of Israel is perceived of as a single body. Subsequently the Torah once more instructs every individual Israelite separately to write a copy of the Torah for himself. As long as Israel perform G–d's commandments they experience a close affinity with G–d both on a national and on an individual level. If, G–d forbid, they were to fail to observe the Torah's commandments, they would find themselves under the influence of אל נכר, an alien deity, i.e. Satan, the evil urge (mentioned in ראשית חכמה, שער ענוה נ"ז). When this happens, the sinner will find himself in the domain of "the left side of the emanations," i.e. subject to influences similar to those which govern the lives of the Gentiles.

The Tabernacle, which was a reflection of all the various stages of creation, one of which was the Sabbath, alludes to a world which is totally Sabbath oriented. We have numerous Midrashim all of which quote G–d as saying that in return for having provided Him with a Tabernacle of goats' skins He would act as our protector in the future. The statements are based on Isaiah 4,5: וברא ה' על כל מכון הר ציון ועל מקראה ענן יומם ועשן, ונגה אש להבה לילה, כי על כל כבוד חפה; וסוכה תהיה לצל יומם מחורב, ולמחסה ולמסתור מזרם וממטר. "The Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night. Indeed, over all the glory shall hang a canopy which shall serve as a pavilion for shade from heat by day and as a shelter for protection against drenching rain." These Midrashim continue to quote G–d as promising atonement for our sins in return for the Jewish people having made the lid on the Holy Ark, quoting scripture to support such claims.

The Tabernacle, which was a reflection of all the various stages of creation, one of which was the Sabbath, alludes to a world which is totally Sabbath oriented. We have numerous Midrashim all of which quote G–d as saying that in return for having provided Him with a Tabernacle of goats' skins He would act as our protector in the future. The statements are based on Isaiah 4,5: וברא ה' על כל מכון הר ציון ועל מקראה ענן יומם ועשן, ונגה אש להבה לילה, כי על כל כבוד חפה; וסוכה תהיה לצל יומם מחורב, ולמחסה ולמסתור מזרם וממטר. "The Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night. Indeed, over all the glory shall hang a canopy which shall serve as a pavilion for shade from heat by day and as a shelter for protection against drenching rain." These Midrashim continue to quote G–d as promising atonement for our sins in return for the Jewish people having made the lid on the Holy Ark, quoting scripture to support such claims.